Call-distributing system.



H. P. CLAUSEN. CALL DISTRIB UTING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- H. I915.

Patented FebxlS, 1917.

/n venfor.

Henry E C/ausen.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY P. CLAUSEN. OF MOUNT VERNON. NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR. BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY. INCORPORATED. A CDRPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CALL-DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM.

To @121 Ielunn. it may oncern:

Be it known that llrzxav I. (lmnsnx, a citizen of the l nited States. residing at Mount Vernon. in the eoupty of \Vcstchestei" and State of New Yorkfihave invented'cen. tain new and useful 'Iinprovements inCall- Distributing Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact de scription.

This invention relates to a call distributing system, and is particularly designed for 'a system in which certain subscribers lines which may he tern'ied heavy users are so arranged that calls .t'rom such lines are automatically extended to an operators position where no unanswered calls are present at the time. \Vhen a subscriber is connected to a trunk at one of the operators positions through a call distributing switch, iis line number is lost.

When party lines are operated on this system. it is desirable to provide a reverting busy test which shall operate through the all distributing switch. Unless such a test is provided. one subscriber calling for an pther subscriber on the. same line will not receive satisfactory services, as the operator often will not be aware that the calling and called parties are both on the same line. 'lhcrefore, when the operator tests a multiple of the calling subscribers line. she will report the line busy, and unless the calling subscriber knows that the party called is on his own line, the call will be unsuccessful.

One of the objects of this-invention therefore, is the provision ol' circuits which will provide a' reverting busy test; in a system employing call distributing switches.

Another object of the invention resides. in the circuits being so arranged that a. calling subscriber may cause a connection through his distributing switch to be broken down at any time prior to its being taken up by the operator, but in which the subscriber cannot break ,down the eoniwction after the operator has placed an answering plug in the trunk jack.

The advantages of this arrmigenlent will 'be apparent when it is understood that a large proportion of the calls which originate upon lines provided with called dis tributing apparatus are false calls. It is, therefore, not desirable to lock up a circuit when a telephone line is accidentally short:

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13; 1917.

cireuited for then it DQ001105 necessary for an operator to insert the answering plug 1n the spring jack before th connectlon may be broken down. or the oocrators position rendered idle and availabli to other incoming calls.

The drawing discloses a system embodying the. advantages above reci .ed.

Referring to the d 'awin2;] represents a. subscriber-s line which in the present case may be a party line.

The distributing switch herein shown is of a character similar to that disclosed in my Patent No. 1.131.911. patented March It), 1915. The brushes which are advanced step by step, electrically unite the contaetson which they rest with the :djarent conducting. segments. It. is thought the operation of:

this switch will be readily understood from the following description of the invention.

\Vhen asubseriber on line removes his receiver from its book. a ci 'cuit is completed from grounded battery 2 through the left rinding of line relay 3, left armature of vitotl" relay 4, left side of the line, the sub- .ation apparatus oi the railing subscriber he, right; side of the line, the right armature of relay 4. right. winding if line relay 3 to ground. Relay 3 attracts izs arn'iatu re, completing an energizing eirel it through relays 5 and ('1. The operation if relay 6 causes the signal lamp .7 to glow.

Assuming that thedish ibuting trunk or outlet. upon which the switch brushes now rest is busy, a. circuit will be completed as will appear later from gr ulnded battery '8 through the left armature md front. contact ot trunk cutotl' relay 9 at the switch assoeoil it) to themultiple test. contacts of the trunk, brush 1] and condlu ting are 12 of the seeking switch, lower norl ml contact of relay 13. upper contact of "clay 5, stepping magnet 14, and lTlllOl'IllPtll 15 to ground. Stepping magnet i l: will be energized, attracting its armature. earning the pawl 16 to ride up over one tooth ol theratchct wheel 17 which carries the switch brushes. When interrupter 15 breaks this circuit the armature and pawl 16 will be H tracted by spring 18, causing the switch brushes toengage the contacts of the next trunl; or'outlet. llad the. switch brushes rested on the contacts of air idle trunk entering a1 operators pose tion at which an unanswered call existed, the result would have been the same, as busy potential would then be supplied through an armature of relay 30, as will presently appear. 'lh'is stepping operation will be repeated until the test brush 11 engages a contact of an idle trunk terminating at an idle opcrators position upon which no battery potential will be present. During the stepping operation a circuit existed from hattery 19 through the lower contact of relay 5. upper winding of holding relay 13. normal lower contact of relay 13, upper contact of relay '5, stepping magnet H and inter rupter to ground. Relay 13 was not operated over this circuit. however. during the. stepping operation. due to the short circuit ol its wimling which extended from battery through impedance l0 and the test brush. Upon engaging an idle line. this short circuit is removed and relay 13 attracts its armature. Relay 13 by the attraction of its lower armature interrupts its energizing circuit, but will not fall off as' it is slow to release and also because a momentary holding circuit now extends from grounded battery 19 through lower arn'iature of relay upper winding of relay 1.3. lower front contact of relay 13, lower winding of relay 1; and cut off relay 4.- to ground. upper contacts now extends the calling subscribers line to the switch brushes.

\Vhen the switch brushes stop on the contacts of an idle trunk, a circuit is completed tron'rbattery 21, left winding of trunk line relay 22, middle armature of cut off relay 9. switch brush 23. conductor 24, innermost upper armature of relay 13, left side of the subscriberslinc, the calling subscribers substation apparatus, right side of the eallingline. upper armature of relay 13, brush 25. distributing trunk or outlet conductor 26, innermost armature of relay 9, right winding of relay 22 to ground.

Relay 22 at its left armature causes battery potential to be supplied to the test contact of the now busy trunk through impedance coil 10. and also completes a locking circuit for holding relay 13 extending from the test contact, through lower armature, and front contact of relay 13, lower winding of said relay and cut oil relay 4 to ground.

Relay 4 now operates. not having previously operated. due to the inclusion in its circuit of the resistance of both windings of relaylil. lhe energization of relay 4 interrupts the circuit of line relay 3 which in falling off causes the dei nergization of relays and 6.

Relay 252 at its right armature completes a. circuit from battery through relay 27 and answering lamp 28' in series. lliis causes the lamp the glow and the energizaliou ol' relay 27. 1

Relay 27 in turn completes a circuit for Relay 13 at its relay 28 which upon energization completes a circuit for the pilot lamp Q9 and also for relay 30.

Relay 30 in energizing supplies busy potential through its several arinatures to the test contacts of all the trunks entering the operators position. including the trunk just seized. 'lhe supplying ol test potential to this trunk, however. is without function at this time, as test potential is already supplied from battery 21 through the left ar mature of relay It the circuit on the calling line is 'no\'v momentarily opened. relay 22 will become dei nergized. causing the dLa nergiz-ation in sequence of relays 27. '18 and ill), .\s the armatures ol relays 2'2 aml Ill) would now be retracted. battery would be removed l'roln the. test contact of the trunk and relays l3 and l would become deenergized. and all the apparatus with the exception of the switch which has no normal position, would be re turned to normal.

We will now assume that the operator in serted the answering plug ll in the outlet jack 32 prior to the opening ol' the subscriber's line. Supervisory relay 3; will become energized from battery 33 through ring con (acts of the plug and jack, brush 23. conduc tor 24. innermost upper contact of relay '11- left side of subscribers line. substation apparatus, right sideof subscribefls line, outermost upper contact of relay 13, brush 25. conductor 26, tip contacts of the jack and )lug back to batterv. Rela 32. will be energized. con'ipleting a circuit from battery ol through contact of the supervisory relay. sleeve contacts ol plug'and jack and cut-oft relay 1) to ground.

Relay 9 is operated and supplies test potcntial to the te t contact of the trunk through its lel't armature. lhus completing another path to battery for the holding circuit l'or' relays l-i'aud -l. Relay 9 at its middle and right armatures opens the circuit o'l' relay 2'. which is deenergized, cansin the dei nergization in sequence oi" relays 27. 2h and Ill). Relay 9 will remain energized as long as -the plug reinains in the jack and therefore the opening ol the substation circuit will now not cause the. release ol' the distril iuling apparatus. lull will merely cause the dci m-rgizalion of relay I32 and the display of the supervisory signal :33.

The operator now' closes her listening key line being busy. a lille circuit will now ex- 'lend l'rom grounded battery 3 through the trout contact. of left armature of relay 9.

impedance coil 10, brush 11, lower front contact of relay 13. lower winding of relay 13. sleeve of jack 3 ip of plug 37, listening key contact 39 and relay +0 to ground. Re lay 40 will be energized. completing a circuit from ground through the secondary winding 4-1 of the busytone apparatus 42, arn'iatureaml contact of relay l3, armature and contact of relay 4-0. listening key contact r-l. sleeve contacts of plug 31 and jack 3:2, condenser 45. trunk test contact. brush 11. conductii'ig segment 12, lower innermost contact of relay 13. lower winding of relay 1 sleeve of jack -39. tip of plug 37, listening key contact 39. conductor in, through the operators set to coiuluctor 4T, listening hey contact l-l. supervisory relay 4%, "to ground ,through.battery 33. The impedance coil ltJis provided to prevent the short circuiting of the operators set in the busy tone circuit through battery i I I The operator now l'iearing the distinctive tone produced by the apparatus 42 will be;

informed that the called and calling parties are both on the same line. and willthereupon remove the plugs ll and 37 from jacks 32 and Iis and signal the called subscriber in the usual manner.

if. for any reason, it is desired to make an o 'ierator's position temporarily busy, the key it) is operated. energizing relay 30 placing busy potential permanently upon the test contacts of all the trunks entering the operators position. Although a plurality of batteries are rel'iresentcd on the drawing, these may be and in practice probably would he one and the same source of current.

It obvious that other systems embodying the salient features of this invention, but ditfering widely in detail from that herein shown may be readily designed. Applicant therefore desires it understood that his inyention is to be limited merely by the scope oi? the appended claims.

\Vhat is claimed is:

1. In a telephone system, a subscribers line, trunks, a switch for automatically uniting said line to an idle trunk upon the initiation of a cation said line, connection switches for extending said trunks, a pair of relays to control the release of said first mentioned switch. one of said relays being under the control of the calling subscribers hook switch and the other said relay being under i e control of contacts of said connection switch, and, n'ieans whereby the operation of the last mentioned relay removes'the control from the other said relay.

2. In a telephone system, a subscribers line, a switch, contacts at said switch forming the terminals of said line, said terminals being normally disconnected from said line, trunks terminating at said tending to a tions, means switch and er;- plurality of operators poslactuated by the initiation of a line, automatic eall on said line for operating said switch to connect said hue to an 1 lie-trunk extending to an idle operators position, a connection" switch at said position for extending said trunk, and means operated upon the (amnection to said idle trui k forconnecting said line to said contacts aid last mentioned means being under the joi it control of the calling subscriber's hook switch and said connection switch.

3. In a telephone system a line, trunks, a switch for automatically oining said line to said trunks upon the eitablishment of a 'all upon said line. a connection switch for extending said trunk, a re ay having a circuit controlled by said connection switch. a relay for maintaining, said line in association with said trunk and a locking circuit "ior said second relay extuiding through a Iii at contact thereof and a contact of said first-mentioned relay.

t. in a telephone system a line, trunks, a switch for automatically ioining said line to an idle trunk upon the establishment of a call on said line. a connection switch for extending said trunk. a relay having a circuit controlled by said .col ncction switch, a relay having a circuit crntroller'l through contacts of said automati: switch, a relay for maintaining said line iiassociation with said trunk, and a locking, circuit for said last-mentioned relay exleuling through a front contact thereoi and c nnpleted through either a contact of said lirstanentioned relay or a contact of said second-mentioned relay.

3. In a telephone system, an exchange, a plurality of operators poi change, subscribers lines. switches, distributing trunks extending tiom said switches to said operators position: l, means for callsing one of said switches to automatically connect 'a calling line to 111 idle trunk extending to an idle operators position, a connecting'circuit to said position, a connection switch for uniting said cir :uit to said trunk, means associated with the other end of said connecting circuit for test ng a wanted subscribers line, a tone device and means for associating said tone devize with an operators set whenthe calling line is tested.

(1. Ina telephone system, telephone lines, automatic distributing sv'itches, said lines terminating at said switches and in jacks,

trunks extending from said switches, means for causing aswitch to automatically unite a calling line with an idle trunk, a cord 'circuit, a. connection switch for uniting said circuit to said trunk, a plug associated with the other end of said cord circuitand means for-signaling the operato when the tip of said plug is united with the sleeve contact of the calling line jack.

7. In a telephone system, a subscribers distributing switches, said lines terminating at, said switches and in 'tributing switch to unite jacks, distributing: trunks extending from said switches, means for causing one of said switches to autonuitically connect a calling line -to an idle trunk, a connecting circuit, a switch for uniting said circuit with said trunk. a plug associated with the other end of said connecting circuit, a tone device and means for transmitting a tone from said device to the operators set when the tip of said plug is united with the sleeve contact of the calling line jack.

8. In a telephone system, telephone lines, automatic distrilmting, switches, said lines terminating at said switches and in jacks, trunks extending from said switches, means 'l'or causing a switch to automatically unite the calling line to an idle trunk, a cord circuit, a plug and jack for connecting said. cord circuit to said trunk. a plug at the other end of said cord circuit, a tone device and means it associating said tone device with an operators set when the tip of the last mentioned plug is joined, to the sleeve contact of the calling line jack.

5 In a telephone system, an exchange, a pluralitv of operators positions at said exchange, switches, subscribers lines terminating at said switches and in jacks. distributing trunks extending from said switches to said operators positions. means for causing a switch to automatically unite a calling line with an idle trunk extending to an idle operatofis position, a cord circuit at said position, a switch for uniting said circuit With said trunk, a plug associated with the other end of said circuit, a signal device and means for causing the effective operation'of said signal device upon uniting the tip of said last mentioned sleeve contact ol the calling line jack.

10. In a call distributing system, telephone lines, an automatic distributing switch at which said lines terminate, dis tributing trunks terminating at one ehdin said switches and at the other end in connection switches, means for causing the diea calling line'witlt an idle distributing trunk and means for plug with the electrically connecting the test contacts of said trunks at said switches with the sleeve contacts of said connection switches.

11.1n a call distributing system, telephone lines, automatic distributing switches at which said lines te'ri'ninate, distributing trunks terminating at one end in said distributing switches and at the other end in connection switches, means for causing a distributing switch to unite a calling line with an idle distributing trunk, and means when. so united for electrically connecting the sleeve contact of said connection switch with the test contact of said line.

12. In a call distributing system, telephone lines, automatic distributing switches, said lines terminating at said switches and in jacks, distributing trunks terminating at one end in said switches and at the other end in jacks, means for causing a distributing switch to unite a calling line with an idle distrilnlting trunk and means when so united for electrically connecting the sleeve of the distributing trunk jaw" with the sleeve of the calling line jack.

[3. In a telephone exchange system. telephone lines, automatic distributing switches at which said lines terminate, distributing trunks terminating at one end in said switches. means for causing a distributing switch to select an idle distributing trunk and unite a calling line therewith, a plug and jack switch for extending said trunk, a relay, a circuit therefor extending through the sleeve contacts of said plug and jack, :1 line cut-oft relay, a holding relay for maintaining said line uni ed with said trunk, and a IOCkII'Ig circuit for said holding relay extending through said cut-off relay, front contact of said holding relay, and a contact of said first nu ltioned relay.

In witness wieretit, I hereunto subscribe my name this lith day of January, A. I)

11 Inner P. CLAUSEN. 

